Stereoscopic (3D) camera systems are well known in the art. By way of example but not limitation, ConMed Corporation of Utica, N.Y. manufactures and sells stereoscopic (3D) camera systems which allow surgeons to visualize structures within the body, with the stereoscopic (3D) construction allowing the surgeons to perceive depth.
However, the current state of the art requires a doubling of many components in the stereoscopic (3D) camera system, leading to a higher cost of goods as compared to a monoscopic (2D) camera system.
By way of example but not limitation, FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the major components in a conventional stereoscopic (3D) camera system 5. Note the duplication of the image sensors (i.e., the right image sensor 10 and the left image sensor 15) and the duplication of the camera processors (i.e., the right camera processor 20 and the left camera processor 25). Note also that the right image sensor 10 and the left image sensor 15 are typically packaged in a 3D camera head 30, and the right camera processor 20 and the left camera processor 25 are typically packaged in a 3D control unit 35. Note also that in the prior art stereoscopic (3D) camera system 5 shown in FIG. 1, the stereoscopic optics 40 (e.g., an endoscope) is mechanically connected to the 3D camera head 30 (e.g., using a mechanical connection 45), the 3D camera head 30 is cable connected to the 3D control unit 35 via cabling 50, and the 3D control unit 35 is cable connected to the multiplexer (MUX) component 55 of the micro-polarization display 60 via cabling 65.
In the prior art stereoscopic (3D) camera system 5 shown in FIG. 1, two identical camera processors (i.e., the right camera processor 20 and the left camera processor 25, contained in the 3D control unit 35) are used to send two complete images to the multiplexer (MUX) component 55 of the micro-polarization display 60 (which then feeds the appropriate signals to the micro-polarization display 60). This type of display uses a micro-polarization technology (also known as XPol® technology), typically implemented as a film or screen located in front of the display pixels, so that the odd lines of pixels are polarized in one sense (e.g., right circular polarization) and the even lines of pixels are polarized in the opposite sense (e.g., left circular polarization). See FIG. 2. When two full resolution right and left image signals are sent to the display (e.g., by the stereoscopic optics 40, the right image sensor 10 and the left image sensor 15 of the 3D camera head 30, and the right camera processor 20 and the left camera processor 25 of the 3D control unit 35), the multiplexer (MUX) component 55 of the micro-polarization display 60 selects the “odd” TV lines from the right camera processor 20 of the 3D control unit 35 and displays them as the “odd” lines of the monitor, and the multiplexer (MUX) component 55 of the micro-polarization display 60 selects the “even” TV lines from the left camera processor 25 of the 3D control unit 35 and displays them as the “even” lines of the monitor. Thus, the TV lines of the display are essentially an interlaced composite of the right image signal from the right camera processor 20 and the left image signal from the left camera processor 25. Viewers wear polarized glasses with right and left circular polarization for the right and left eyes, respectively. Thus, the viewer's right eye will see only the “odd” TV lines of the composite image, corresponding to the right eye image of the object, while the left eye image of the object will be blocked for the viewer's right eye; and, correspondingly, the viewer's left eye will see only the “even” TV lines of the composite image, corresponding to the left eye image of the object, while the right eye image of the object will be blocked for the viewer's left eye. The human brain “fuses” the right and left images and 3D perception occurs as a result.
In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the “even” TV lines information of the right camera processor 20 of the 3D control unit 35, and the “odd” TV lines information of the left camera processor 25 of the 3D control unit 35, is effectively discarded by the multiplexer (MUX) component 55 of the micro-polarization display 60 and is not utilized in the composite video signal displayed to the user.
It is this realization which provides the opportunity to reduce the cost of a stereoscopic (3D) camera system by combining the functionality of two key components into a single key component, i.e., by replacing the right camera processor and the left camera processor of the 3D control unit with a single camera processor (i.e., such as is typically found in a 2D control unit).